Landing on some sort of city-specific ranking usually fills us with pride, but we’re unsure how to feel about this one: data company Numbeo just released its annual Cost of Living Index by City, a list that includes Chicago as one of the most expensive cities in the world.

To come up with its ranking, the company analyzed data from January 2024 through mid-year, specifically scoring towns based on cost of living, rent, groceries, restaurant prices and local purchasing power.

Perhaps most dispiriting is the fact that out of ten cities mentioned, seven of them are in the United States. So Chicagoans live in the most expensive country and one of the costliest towns across the globe.

Geneva in Switzerland topped the ranking, with estimated monthly costs of about $1,715 without rent. That being said, Geneva is actually considered one of the best places to live when looking at quality of life… so its number one position on this specific list should be taken with a grain of salt. 

The 10 most expensive cities in the world:

1. Geneva, Switzerland

2. Zurich, Switzerland

3. New York, New York

4. San Francisco, California, United States

5. Boston, Massachusetts, United States

6. Reykjavik, Iceland

7. Washington D.C., United States

8. Seattle, Washington, United States

9. Los Angeles, California, United States

10. Chicago, Illinois, United States